June 2025 Update
Negotiations over the terms of the 2025 National Agreement have commenced. The NPMHU bargaining team opened negotiations with the Postal Service on June 25th and initial discussions began the following day. Negotiations will continue, at minimum, up to the expiration on the 2022 National Agreement on September 20th. Negotiations may be extended, however, if the parties fell that further negotiation are likely to produce a tentative agreement. If an agreement is reached, it will be tentative until such time as it is ratified by a majority vote of the Membership.
The National Union has released a video of the opening session as well as Contract Update #1. You may watch the video and read the Contract Update by clicking on these links:
The Union’s objectives during this round of national negotiations will be primarily economic. This is not to say that there won’t be changes to contract language, because there will, but the economic issues will be the big-ticket items. Specifically, addressing the pay rate of MHA’s and the proportional COLA impacting everyone hired since 2013.
Having served on the Field Negotiating Committee and while serving as a member of the Committee on the Future, I saw firsthand the proposed changes most important to the Membership. First (as always), get rid of all 204-b’s. Although I’m pretty sure that most of those proposals were submitted by Members who are not subject to proportional COLA. And secondly, the MHA pay rate and the proportional COLA issue. You may have noted National President Hogrogian’s comments on these topics in the Opening of Negotiations video. The Membership has made their wishes known and our objectives have been prioritized accordingly.
The sheer number of proposals to address proportional COLA was staggering. Of course, and while I may be biased, I thought the best proposal was submitted jointly by NDC Branch President Aaron Kobes and St. Paul Branch President Edward Yun (to which more than 200 Members of the NDC and St. Paul Branches added their signatures). In any case, contract negotiations are underway, and you’ll see more updates as things progress.
Things remain uncertain on the legislative front. A final version of the “Big Beautiful Bill” has yet to be passed by the Senate. Although, there have been some encouraging changes and many provisions detrimental to Mail Handlers have been removed (or ruled to be beyond the scope of reconciliation by the parliamentarian). Most recently, Saturday, June 28th, all Local Presidents received an email from NPMHU Legislative Director Katie Maddox which stated:
Update: The language targeting future Mail Handlers’ retirement benefits has been taken out of the reconciliation bill!
Because of the combination of our lobbying and grassroots efforts, new Mail Handlers won’t be used as a means of cost savings by the federal government.
I want to thank you all for your quick actions yesterday to tell your Senators of opposition to the bill.
I’m not sure how many Members answered my call to join the NPMHU Political Action Network, or how many Members participated in informing our Congressional representatives of our opposition to portions of the Big Beautiful Bill, but to those of you that did, thank you!
It’s interesting to reflect on our activities as we reach the mid-point of this year. No doubt it’s been game on so far; still, the National and Local Unions have risen to fight every battle whether on the workroom floor, in the grievance procedure, on Capitol Hill, or at the bargaining table. The Membership can be proud of the efforts we’ve expended in fighting these battles and fighting for a better, more prosperous, and more secure future, I know I am.
By the way, we’re currently conducting an organizing drive. If there are non-members in your building, do me a favor and sign them up. You’ll get a $100.00 check from the Union, and you’ll have my thanks.
JL